In the week ending October 8, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 404,000, a decrease of 1,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 405,000. The 4-week moving average was 408,000, a decrease of 7,000 from the previous week's revised average of 415,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.9 percent for the week ending October 1, a decrease of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's revised rate of 3.0 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending October 1 was 3,670,000, a decrease of 55,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 3,725,000. The 4-week moving average was 3,724,000, a decrease of 21,250 from the preceding week's revised average of 3,745,250.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 398,836 in the week ending October 8, an increase of 66,442 from the previous week. There were 462,667 initial claims in the comparable week in 2010.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.5 percent during the week ending October 1, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 3,093,486, a decrease of 72,423 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.9 percent and the volume was 3,705,947.

The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending September 24 was 6,821,585, a decrease of 39,203 from the previous week.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 2,424 in the week ending October 1, an increase of 213 from the prior week. There were 2,748 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 18 from the preceding week.

There were 24,928 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending September 24, an increase of 1,060 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 39,134, an increase of 515 from the prior week.

States reported 3,016,035 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending September 24, a decrease of 11,412 from the prior week. There were 3,888,001 claimants in the comparable week in 2010. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending October 1 were in North Carolina (+3,354), California (+2,527), Indiana (+866), Washington (+758), and Illinois (+754) while the largest decreases were in Alabama (-1,883), Michigan (-1,469), Florida (-1,175), Pennsylvania (-966), and Georgia
(-646).

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA FOR REGULAR STATE PROGRAMS

WEEK ENDING

Advance Oct. 8

Oct. 1

Change

Sept. 24

Prior Year1

Initial Claims (SA)

404,000

405,000

-1,000

395,000

463,000

Initial Claims (NSA)

398,836

332,394

+66,442

328,073

462,667

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

408,000

415,000

-7,000

418,000

456,250

WEEK ENDING

Advance Oct. 1

Sept. 24

Change

Sept. 17

Prior Year1

Ins. Unemployment (SA)

3,670,000

3,725,000

-55,000

3,752,000

4,407,000

Ins. Unemployment (NSA)

3,093,486

3,165,909

-72,423

3,207,559

3,705,947

4-Wk Moving Average (SA)

3,724,000

3,745,250

-21,250

3,748,750

4,450,750

Ins. Unemployment Rate (SA)2

2.9%

3.0%

-0.1

3.0%

3.5%

Ins. Unemployment Rate (NSA)2

2.5%

2.5%

0.0

2.5%

2.9%

INITIAL CLAIMS FILED IN FEDERAL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Oct. 1

Sept. 24

Change

Prior Year1

Federal Employees

2,424

2,211

+213

4,844

Newly Discharged Veterans

2,748

2,730

+18

2,695

PERSONS CLAIMING UI BENEFITS IN ALL PROGRAMS (UNADJUSTED)

WEEK ENDING

Sept. 24

Sept. 17

Change

Prior Year1

Regular State

3,155,266

3,196,242

-40,976

3,766,398

Federal Employees (UCFE)

24,928

23,868

+1,060

32,016

Newly Discharged Veterans (UCX)

39,134

38,619

+515

41,941

EUC 20083

3,016,035

3,027,447

-11,412

3,888,001

Extended Benefits4

537,165

523,469

+13,696

907,298

State Additional Benefits 5

4,693

4,538

+155

4,206

STC / Workshare 6

44,364

46,605

-2,241

55,266

TOTAL

6,821,585

6,860,788

-39,203

8,695,126

FOOTNOTES
SA - Seasonally Adjusted Data, NSA - Not Seasonally Adjusted Data
1 - Prior year is comparable to most recent data.
2 - Most recent week used covered employment of 126,188,733 as denominator.
3 - EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity. Tier-specific EUC data can be found here: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/docs/persons.xls
4 - Information on the EB program can be found here: http://www.ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp
5 - Some states maintain additional benefit programs for those claimants who exhaust regular, extended and emergency benefits. Information on states that participate and the extent of benefits can be found starting on page 4-5 of this link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf
6 - Information on STC/Worksharing can be found starting on page 4-9 of the following link: http://ows.doleta.gov/unemploy/pdf/uilawcompar/2010/special.pdf

UNADJUSTED INITIAL CLAIMS FOR WEEK ENDED 10/1/2011

STATES WITH A DECREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

AL

-1,883

Fewer layoffs in the textile, and service industries.

MI

-1,469

Fewer layoffs in the manufacturing industry.

FL

-1,175

Fewer layoffs in the agriculture, service, retail, and construction industries.

STATES WITH AN INCREASE OF MORE THAN 1,000

State

Change

State Supplied Comment

CA

+2,527

Layoffs in the service, fishing, agriculture, and forestry industries.

NC

+3,354

Layoffs in the construction, transportation, and warehousing industries.

This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-693-4676. TDD Message Phone: 1-800-326-2577. News releases from the U.S. Department of Labor are accessible on the Internet at: http://www.dol.gov/ and http://www.ows.doleta.gov/